Pay the judges

•At present, judicial salaries are protected by the Constitution and cannot be reduced. This is to ensure that the judiciary remains completely independent and free of any controlling interference by government. The previous and current government's view is that everyone must share the burden of our economic collapse, especially those who had nothing to do with it, so, on the day of the presidential election, we will be voting on a referendum which, if passed, will allow the Government to implement backdated reductions in judges' pay. People might not realise it, but they could be making a big mistake by voting for this referendum for the following reasons.

•At present, judicial salaries are protected by the Constitution and cannot be reduced. This is to ensure that the judiciary remains completely independent and free of any controlling interference by government. The previous and current government's view is that everyone must share the burden of our economic collapse, especially those who had nothing to do with it, so, on the day of the presidential election, we will be voting on a referendum which, if passed, will allow the Government to implement backdated reductions in judges' pay. People might not realise it, but they could be making a big mistake by voting for this referendum for the following reasons.

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Pay the judges

Independent.ie

•At present, judicial salaries are protected by the Constitution and cannot be reduced. This is to ensure that the judiciary remains completely independent and free of any controlling interference by government. The previous and current government's view is that everyone must share the burden of our economic collapse, especially those who had nothing to do with it, so, on the day of the presidential election, we will be voting on a referendum which, if passed, will allow the Government to implement backdated reductions in judges' pay. People might not realise it, but they could be making a big mistake by voting for this referendum for the following reasons.

A core value of our society is that a person must pay for any action they may have taken that would have incurred a loss to others. The previous and current governments are of the view, however, that it is in the public interest that a majority of innocent parties must pay for losses incurred by a minority of others. Passing the referendum, though aimed at the judiciary, would enshrine this new ideology into our Constitution.

There is no evidence that the judiciary were involved in the mismanagement of the banks, the setting of flawed government policies, the imposition of lax regulation, or engaged in large-scale speculation and property development. Like us, they should not be punished for the actions of others. We do not like it being done to ourselves so why pass a referendum that would force wrongful punishment on others.

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